After a number of opposition protests against price hikes and tax increases, the government and opposition in Kenya have decided to establish a joint committee to try and work out their differences.
Both the governing coalition led by President William Ruto‘s Kenya Kwanza and the opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja (Declaration of Unity) released statements on Saturday confirming the negotiations.
Earlier this month, opposition leader Raila Odinga called for a series of protests, which resulted in significant unrest and occasionally violent run-ins with the police in which more than two dozen people lost their lives and numerous others were hurt.
“Determined to resolve our differences amicably for the benefit of all our people, we have therefore agreed with Kenya Kwanza to establish a committee,” Azimio said, referring to the governing party alliance.
The committee would be made up of the majority and minority leaders of the national assembly, four members of parliament, four non-parliamentarians, and four persons from outside the national assembly, according to a joint statement from both parties.
Both sides agreed that opposition to a controversial financial bill signed into law in June “should be decided in court” where it is being challenged. On Friday, an appeals court lifted a suspension placed on a law that would double the value-added tax on fuel and introduce a new housing levy.
The discussions will also examine the composition of Kenya’s electoral commission and the establishment of an office for Odinga, who has lost five elections and is accused of cheating in several of them, according to Kimani Ichung’wah, the leader of Kenya Kwanza in the parliamentary majority.
Odinga had previously ruled out negotiations in the absence of a third party mediator. He has argued that the presidential election from last year was “stolen” from him and that Ruto’s government is invalid.
His Azimio coalition, however, claimed that Olusegun Obasanjo’s “facilitation” had led to a compromise whereby a 10-member committee with equal participation was to be formed to resolve their disputes.
After Ruto agreed to hold discussions through a similar joint committee, Odinga halted protests in April and May. However, the talks fell through, and the opposition went back to the streets.
Rights organisations condemned the deployment of tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the stone-throwing demonstrators. The demonstrations occasionally descended into looting and violent altercations with the police.
In vigils held this week for the victims of “unprecedented police brutality,” Azimio said 50 people had perished in the marches.
Ruto has repeatedly urged an end to the demonstrations and vowed to put a stop to any indication of “anarchy”.